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Oh the Places You’ll Go

Congratulations!Today is your day.You’re off to Great Places!You’re off and away!

This might be one of the greatest books ever written, and it not only have I been blessed to travel to places that I might not ever go to again, I have been more fortunate to meet people that have touched my life more than they realize. I’ve never understood the rationale of putting some of these minor league teams in the smallest cities around the United States, and quite often there is nothing to do during the days, which can be a good thing and a bad thing, and when it comes to attendance during the games there are some pretty paltry ones day in and day out. I have been at this as I am in my fourth full season now, and not only have I been blessed with the ability to travel everywhere but I have also been blessed to meet amazing people down this crazy path.

They say “Truly great friends are hard to find, difficult to leave, and impossible to forget” and I can say I have met some truly amazing people that have helped me along this path, whether it be emotional, spiritual, or physical help there have been multiple people who have helped me along this path. I do not want to go into any names as to embarrass anybody, but they know who they are and I want to extend an enormous thank you to everyone who has helped me get to this point so far, the journey has been fun and I truly hope there is a lot more of it left in store for me.

Well, we are officially on all-star break and if any arm chair pitcher can see the first half of my season didn’t quite go so well. Unfortunately those gaudy numbers that are staring back at me aren’t ones I’m too proud of. It is said “We rate ability in men by what they finish, not by what they attempt” and I am ready to finish. I was able to sit and talk with some people before I left and attempt to sort out what happened and where exactly this wrong turn was made and I believe some very positive things have come out of it, and I feel extremely confident in my-self as the second half approaches. Playing this game you are constantly tweaking and adjusting things, and it’s weird that the more you fail the more you feel like you have to change things and the less you actually trust what got you to where you are in the first place, and this has been my realization. Sitting down and talking with people a lot smarter than me, a question was posed, I was asked “What made you successful last year?” To which I replied “I got no idea, I just pitched.” BINGO! I wasn’t adjusting arm angles, finger pressures, trying to spot my pitches or trying to think what I think the batter is going to do I just knew my stuff was better than his and attacked.

I think everyone falls into that rut sometimes, they never believe that the solution to their problems might be the simplest ones that is staring at them in their face. Many people, myself included, tend to overlook the simplicity in their problems and go off and try to implement this wacky, complex, over-analyzed solution they think they need because they over-think their problem(s). Having this talk really helped, because that’s exactly what I was doing just thinking and anyone who knows anything about baseball knows that can hurt you a lot more than it helps. So as I sat in front of my locker and reflected on what was told to me, I realized that I had the answer all along and I implemented it last year but I made this problem into something I thought I knew nothing about and yet I already had the solution before it even happened.

I really am enjoying my time off with my girlfriend for these three days, and then it’s to Leigh Valley to start the last half of the season, and for me it’s the beginning of a new season.

“Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in, forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day, you shall begin it well and serenely…”